Ratchet and clutch mechanism



I. CHURCH.

RATCHET AND CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7, 1919.

- Pmmasept. 7, 1920.,

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.w @bami UNITED STATES 'IRA CHURCH, 0F REED CITY, MICHIGAN, Ass'IGNoIt- 0E ONE-HALE 'ro Lo'r'rIE 0F REED CITY, MICHIGAN.

PATENT OFFICE.

SANFORD,

BATCHET AND CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedsept. '7, 1920.

applicati@ med December 17, 1919.- serial No. 345,589.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, IRA CHURCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reed City, inthe county of 4Osceola and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ratchet and Clutch Mechanism, of which the followingA is a specifica- Y tion.

such mechanisminay be applied; vand further, to provide a wrenchimproved in other respects. y

-This and any other objects hereinafter ap pearing are attained by, and' the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the structure hereinafter particularly described and illustrated by the -accompanying drawings, in whch:'- y

Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of a wrench to whichl the ratchet and clutch line 2-2 of Fig. l;

mechanism is applied; y

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken on a plane corresponding to Figs. 3,4 and 5 are axial sectional views of the middle pfort'ion of the same, showing the parts in d' erent positions;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are transverse sectional -Views 'of the parts illustrated in Figs.'3, 4

and 5 respectively, taken on planes correfspondmg to lines 6 6, 7-7 and 8 8 i Said res ective views; l y v ig. 9 is an -end View of the work-engaging member of the wrench shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is an axial sectional ,View of a modied construction of the wrenchs workengaging' member; and

Fig. 11 is an end view of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustrationtby the drawings and for detailed description in the body of this-specification, my ratchet and clutch mechanism -is shown applied to a wrench so that the work-as a nut or bolt-*may be readily and 4very quickly turned, and when greater re sistance tothe, actionJ of the lwrench is encountered, the parts may be so adjusted as to turn the work with more power; said tively thereto. ber is a rotatable first element 2 having cirwrench thus eifectingthe purposes attain-- able by the wrench described in my atent application, Ser. No. 282,417 filed arch 13,1919. y

As shown bythe drawings, a body member l carries various parts movable rela- J ournaled in the vbody memcularly arranged teeth 3. Oppositely disposed pawls 4, 5, mounted on the bodymem-' ber by spring armsv 6, 7 are adapted to engage the teeth in such 'manner that one l pawl 4 holds the first element 2 against ro-4 tation in one direction only and the other pawl 5 holds said element against rotation in the other direction only. To effect this end the teeth-engaging portions of the pawls are oppositely inclined as seen in igs. 2, 6, 7 and 8. Asecond element 8, coaxial with the first element 2, is rotatable lin theybody member 1, having preferably a bearing afforded by the inner surface of the vbody member and also' a bearing on an extension 9 of the rst element 2 as shown in Fig. 1. This second element 8 has also a longitudinalI movement in said bearings toward and away from the rst element 2.

In the illustrated application of my ratchet and clutch mechanism to a wrench, the Socket 10 ofthe Work-engaging member ll'non-turnably receives the hexagonal end of the spindle 12 rotatably mounted onthe body member 1 and carrying a bevel gear 13. With this the bevel gear 14 of the first element 2 meshes, so that the rotation of said first element 2 may turn the nut or boltheld in the work-engaging member 11. When the second element 8 (which constitutes the outer portion of the wrenchs'handle) is in the position seen in1 Fig. 1,- the pawls are both in operative enga ement with the teeth 3 (as seen in Flg. 2g, and therefore the wrench may be swung in either direction to loosen or tighten the nut or bolt to which its work-engaging member 11 has been applied. When the bolt or nut has been thus loosened lit may be rapidly turned by the following adjustment of the parts and in the following manner :A

v .The second element 8 is slid4 inwardly,

ment with the teeth 3, the said portion 15 being tapered to effect said moving ofthe pawls. This sliding 'longitudinal movement ofthe second element'8 also carries the.

clutch member 16 at the inner end of said element into clutching engagement with thec 'teeth (as seen in Fig. 5), whereuponthe Y teeth, the periphery 20-of said second portion 19 now'holding the moved pawl out of such engagement. To more readily effect this moving of the pawl, said sides 17, 18 of the second portion 19 of the second element. 8 are preferably inclined in a plane transverse to said elements axis as particularly shown in F 2, 6 and 7; Figs.'3 and 6 illustrate the position of the second vportion 19 of the second element 8 whereby the pawl 4 only is held from operative en- A gagement with the teeth, and Figs. 4 and Veo 7 show the.v position of said` second portion 19 whereby the other pawl 5 only is heldV 'fromsuch engagement.

j It will be seen that said ratcheting operal tion is a very useful feature; for, when I .the second element 8 is turned to the position sliown in Figs. 3 and 6 or in Figs. 4 and 7 and heldl by hand in that position, the swinging of the body member 1 in the ordinary manner of operating a wrench will turn the nut or bolt in one direction only (in Figs. 3 and 6) and in the opposite direction only (in Figs. 4 and 7). A suitable `.stop 22 limits the longitudinal movement of the'second element 8.

In Fig. 1,- the work-engaging member 11 may be made detachable from the hexagonal end of the spindle 12. In Figs. 10 and 11 a -modiied construction is shown: The elev ment 111 non-rotatably fits and is turnable with the spindle 12, and carries a work-engaging member 24 which has a swinging movement on an axis 25 transverse to the axis 'of the element 111. It will beseen that by means of this swingable work-engaging member, the wrench is adapted to engage work located in diflicult positions.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limjited to or by details of constructionof'the particular'embodime'nt thereof hereinbefore described or illustrated bythe drawings. I'claim: v

1. In mechanism of l'the character described; .a rst rotatable element having teeth.; a pawl adapted to engag'ethe teeth to hold said element against rotation in one' l direction only; a second element having a longitudinal movement and. a rotary movement, and having a portion adapted to engage and move 4by the second elements longitudinal movement the pawl from operative engagement with the teeth, and having also a c utch member `adapted to be moved .by the longitudinal movement of the second element into clutching. engagement with the teeth; a body member whereby said parts are carried. j

2. In mechanism of Vthe character described; a first rotatable element having to hold said element against rotation in one direction only; a second element having a longitudinal movement and a rotary movement, and having a tapered portion adapted to engage and move by the second elements longitudinal movement the pawl from operative engagement with the'teeth, and having also-a clutch member adapted to be moved teeth; a pawl adapted tol engage the teeth by the longitudinal movement of the secondA element into clutching engagement with theV teeth; a body are carried.

3. In a mechanism of the` character described; a first rotatable element having teeth; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth to hold said element against rotation in one member whereby said parts '.direction only; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth to hold said element againstv rotation in theopposite direction only; a second element having a longitudinal move ment anda rotar-y movement, and having a portion adapted to engage and move by the second elements longitudinal movement the pawls from operativeA engagement with the teeth,` and having also a clutch member adapted to be moved by the longitudinal movement of the second element into clutching engagement with the teeth; a body mem- Aber whereby said parts are carried.

y4. In mechanism of the character de,

scribed; a rst lrotatable element having teeth; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth. to hold said element against rotation in one direction only; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth to hold said element' against rotation in the opposite direction only; a secondelement having a longitudinal movement and a rotary movement, and having va tapered portion 'adapted to engage and move by the second e 'fnents longitudinal movement the pawls from operative engagement with the teeth, and having also a clutch member adapted to be moved by the longitudinal movement of the second element into clutching/en agement with the teeth; a body memberw ereby said parts are carried.

` 5. In mechanism of the 'character de? scribed; a` first rotatable element having. .l teeth; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth to hold saidelement againstyrotation in one direction only; a pawl adaptedA to engage the teethto hold said element against rotation in the opposite direction only; a second element having a longitudinal movement and a rotary movement, and having a portion adapted to engage and move by the second elements longitudinal movement the paWls from operative engagement with the teeth,

' and having also a clutch member adapted to be moved by the longitudinal movement of the second element into clutching engagement with the teeth, and having also a second portion turnable by the second elements rotary movement into a position in which one or the other only of the pawls is. held by said second portion from 'operative engagement with the teeth; a body member whereby said parts are carried.

6. In mechanismof the character de` scribed; a Erst 'rotatable element having Y teeth; a pawly adapted to engage the teeth to hold said element against rotation in one direction only; a pawl adapted to engage the teeth to hold said element against rotation in the opposite direction only; a second element having a longitudinal movement and a rotary movement, and having a portion adapted to engage and move by the second elements longitudinal movement the paWls from operative engagement with the teeth,

and having also a clutch member adapted to be moved by the longitudinal movement of the second element into clutching engagementwith the teeth, and having also a second portion having sides'inclined in planes transverse to the second elements axis, said lteeth to hold said element against rotation in the opposite direction only; a second ele'- ment having a longitudinal movement and a rotary movement, and having la tapered v portion adapted to engage and move by the second elements longitudinal movement the Apawls from operative engagement with the teeth, and having also a clutch member vadaptedxto be moved by the longitudinal movement of the-second element into clutching engagement with the teeth, and having also a secondl portion having sides inclined-v in planes transverse to the second elements axis, said second portion lbeing turnable by the second elements rotary movement to move and hold one or theqther only of the pawls' from operative engagement with the teeth; a body member whereby said parts i are carried. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 6th day ofDecember, 1919.

i i IRA CHURCH.' 

